JEWISH GAY AGNOSTIC HERO MADE A SAINT

Catalyst July/August Issue 2003

Beginning June 6, San Francisco’s Museum of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender History began featuring an exhibit on Harvey Milk, the deceased gay San Francisco supervisor. Milk was killed 25 years ago and was the first openly gay elected official in a major American city. This is the inaugural exhibit of the Museum of GLBT History.

Included in the exhibit is a portrait of Milk by Robert Lentz called “Saint Harvey.” It pictures Milk with a halo behind his head holding a lit candle. We couldn’t resist commenting on the portrait:

“It is a tribute, however backhanded, to Roman Catholicism that gay activists in San Francisco would choose to honor their slain Jewish, homosexual, agnostic martyr by cribbing from Catholic iconography. Bereft of sacred imagery in the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender communities, it was only logical to turn to Catholicism for help. Hopefully, those involved in this tribute will now look more closely at what Catholicism has to offer in other areas as well.”

We were delighted that the San Francisco Chronicle printed our news release on June 18.